Liquid-supply system



F. v. RISINGER.

LIQUID SUPPLY SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE I. 1920.

1,396,06 1 Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

I combustion type.

usually is,

UNITED STATES SPEEDOMETER GINIA.

. FRANK V. RISINGER, OF YOUNGSTOIVN,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO STEWART-WARNER CORPORATION, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or VIR- LIQUID-SUPPLY SYSTEM.

Application filed June 1,

To an whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, FRANK V. RrsINeER, a citizen of the United States,'residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-Supply Systems, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to improvements in liquid supply systems, and has its chief application in connection with supplying liquid fuel to prime movers of the internal In the general class of liquid supply Systems to which my invention relates, the main fuel reservoir may be, and located somewhat lower than the or otherdevice through which the liquid fuel is conducted into the cylinder of the internal combustion engine, and it is therefore necessary to provide some means for elevating the liquid fuel for the purpose of maintaining a constant supply to the carbureter. I I

In the classof supply systems to which my invention is particularly applicable, re liance is placed upon the suction or vacuum effect produced in the intake manifold of.

carbureter I the engine, several pounds of vacuumbeingdeveloped when the engine is operating under the usual conditions- The suction obtained from the manifold of the engine is usually permitted to draw the fuel from the main reservoir into a float chamber, which float chamber discharges into a'tank'located adjacent the carbureter and at a higher elevation than the carbureter, so that the liquid will flow from said tank into the carbureter by gravity. Means are also provided to close the communication between the tank and the float chamber while the liquid is being sucked up into the "float chamber, and a float is arranged in the float chamber for the purpose of closlng the suction line from the manifold to the float chamber when the float chamber is discharging into the tank, at the same time opening the suction-rellef port so as to permit discharge of the liquid sucked up-into' the float'chamberr I p I The objects of my invention are, to provide an improved check valve arrangement for controlling the discharge from the fl oa-t chamber into the tank; to provide an improved valve mechanism for controlling the suction-relief port and the suction port; to

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921. 1920. Serial No. 385,865.

provide an improved construction of combined tank and float chamber,- to provide an improved arrangement for conducting atmospheric pressure into the upper portion of the tank and to the suction-relief port; to provide an improved construction which will enable the device to operate under all conditions encountered in practice, and without spillage; to provide an improved construction which shall be simple and economical in design and manufacture, while being eflicient and practical in operation; and, in general, to provide an improved device of the character referred to.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a vertical section through the device; I

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 44:

of Fig. 1. v

In the drawings, 10 represent a cylindrical.inclosure, the axis of which is normally vertical, said inclosure being preferably supported above and adjacent to the carbureter, so that a pipe secured in the lower discharge opening 11 may conduct the fluid from the bottom of the tank chamber 12 to the float chamber of the carbureter. The float chamber 13 of the device itself is formed in the upper end of the inclosure 10, the spaces 13 and 12 being separated by a transversely-extending partition 14, one edge of which is bent upwardly, as shown at 15. The upper edge of the bent-up portion 15 of the partition 14 does not quite extend to the upper end of the tank, but is united to the lower edge of a quadrantshaped annular stamping 16, which, if deired, may be 'formed by curling over the upper end of theinclosure 10. The lower edge of said quadrant-shaped member 16 is soldered or otherwise united to the inner wall of the tank inclosure 10 and thereby forms in'effect an annular conduit 17 extending around the upper portion of the float chamber 13. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 1 that at the point where the partition part 15 joins the lower end of the flanged quadrant 16, the latter is cut away, as shown at 18 (see also Figs. 3 and 4) go as topermit communication between the tank 12 and said conduit 17.

The upper end of the main inclosure 10 is inclosed by a removable cap or cover 19, and the lower end is inclosed by a flanged head equipped with a central flanged threaded thimble 21 for accommodating the pipe leadtains in the float chamber, is an oval-shaped plate of thin metal, perforated near its center topivot on a screw or pin 26inserted in the bushing, in such position that the effect of the small coil spring 27 is to force the valve plate into'engagement with the bevel portion 24 of the bushing. Thus, the normalefl'ect of the spring 27 is to maintain the valve 25 in slightly opened position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that the amount of opening, as shown meet a vertical aperture 37 registering with in the drawings, is greatly exaggerated for the sake of making the operation of the device somewhat more readily comprehensible. In practice, the valve opening is normally a very small fraction of an inch, so that as soon as there is any suction effect in the float chamber, the check valve 25 will snap shut and close the communication between the tank space 12 and the float chamber space 13.

The cap 19, as shown in Fig. 1, is drilled out at its edge to provide an L-shaped conduit or passageway 28 communicating with the atmosphere, and the lower end of which registers with .a small port 29 in the upper wall of the annular conduit 17, so that the atmosphere is allowed free access to said conduit. I The suction-relief port also is connected to said conduit, as will hereinafter appear.

n o-neside of the cap 19 there is former a facing or boss 30 milled or otherwise dressed off at an angle ofapproximately 45 degrees to accommodate a removable valveblock or housing 31, screws 32 being employed to hold said block securely in tightfltting engagement with the facing 30. The upper portion of said valve-block 31 is threaded to accommodate'a pipe which leads to the intake manifold of the motor, the lower end of said threaded hole 33 communieating with a horizontal fuel supply port 34 terminating in the valve face 35.

The common valve face 35 is also provided with a second horizontal port 36 drilled to a small passage 38 drilled in the upper wall of the annular conduit 17. Said port 36 may,

be termed the atmosphere port or the suction-relief port, as its purpose is to admit atmospheric pressure into the interior of the float chamber 13 in order to permit the liquid to discharge through the lower discharge bushing 22 when the-valve25 opens.

Said valve face 35 co'cSperates-with a disk valve 39 mounted to slide under acentral pin or screw 40 fixed in the valve face 35,

said disk 39 being normally forced intosealing engagement with the valve face 35 by a small coiled compression spring 41. The valve disk 39 is perforated, as shown at 42 and 42, said perforations constituting ports which, when the valve plate 39 is oscillated, are adapted toalternately open ports 34 and 36. That is tosay, the perforation 42 in one position'of the valve registers with the upper port-34, while in the other position of the valve, the port 42 will register with the port 36, andthe port 34 will be closed. 3 The ar rangement is such that the port 34 closes before theport 36 opens, when the valveplate is rocked on its axis.

The actuating mechanism for rocking the valve-plate 39 comprisesa small link 43, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a lug 44 on the plate 39 by a pivot pin 45. a

The lower end of said link 43 is slotted, as shown at 46, to slidably fit a headed pin 47 secured in the side of a cylindrical float 48.

The float 48 is a hollow metal shell having secured to one side thereof, by soldering or other approved means, a small stamping 49 having turned-up side lugs 50, through which lugs there passesa pivot pin 51. The pivot pin is carried in a pair of lugs 52 bent up from the sides of'a sheet metal bracket member 53 secured to the cap 19 ofthe inclosure by means such-as rivets 54.

A small lug 55 struck up from the metal of the bracket 53 serves to limitthe upward movement of the float, and the curved lower end56 of'the said bracketserves'to limit the float in its downward movement; 'Preferably, in order to insure a quick positive snap action for the valve, and thereby eliminate trembling or wavering of the valve-plate between its two positions, I e1nploy a switch spring 57 connected between a small ear 58 secured to the side of the float, and the end of an'arm 59 riveted to the bracket 53. As will be observed from inspectionfof Fig. l, the axial line of the spring is arranged to switch over or cross the line of the float pivot 51 when the float moves from one position to the other,

To persons skilled in this art, theopera tion of thedevice will be readily'apparent. In Figs. 1 and 2, the device is shown in the position which it occupies immediately after the discharge from the float tank 30 into the tank 12 has been completed, the float having at that instant dropped .intoits lowermost position in engagement with the stop 56. At that time, the port 42 of the valve-disk 39 isin register with the port 34, and the port 36 is closed. If the engine is then started, the suction from the manifold draws air from the float chamber 13 through the port 42, and the valve snaps shut. A partial vacuum is thus produced in the float chamber 13 and gasolene, or other liquid fuel from the main reservoir, flows into the float chamber through the pipe 60. It may be stated that, if desired, the pipe 60 can be equipped with a check valve indicated at 61 'for preventing the gasolene in the pipe 60 from running'back into the main reservoir atthe times when there is atmospheric pressure in the float chamber.

The fuel thus flows into the float chamber 13 and as it rises, the float 48 will also be elevated, until finally the float rises high enough .to permit the spring 57 to snap beyond its center, the float then being in dotted line position, as indicated at 62. During the major portion of therise of the float, the pin 47 travels in the slot 46 and does not actuate the disk-valve 39; but when the spring 57 snaps the float into its dotted line position, as indicated at 62 in Fig. 1, the pin 47 .strikes the upper end of the slot 46 and rotates the disk-valve 39 into such position that theport aperture 42 is shifted out of register with the suction port34, and the port 42 is moved intoengagement with the suction-relief port 36. Thereupon, air from the annular conduit 17 flows through the passage 38, 37, 36, 42, into the float chamber and the valve 25 opens, due to its own gravity, assisted by the spring 27, permitting the liquid to flow out of the float chamber into the lower tank space 12. It will be manifest that when the liquid has descended to such a level as to cause the spring axis to pass below the pivotal pin 51, the spring will snap the float downwardly and return the float and valve mechanism to the condition shown in Fig. 1. The action is then repeated as many times as necessary to raise the level of the liquid fuel in the lower tank space 12 to a suflicient height so that the float cannot descend low enough to actuate the valve mechanism. It will be understood that under the condition last named, the liquid in both chambers will be at substantially the same height and the apparatus will be inactive until the operation of the engine has caused a lowering of the level ofv the gasolene in the inclosure' The described details of construction and operation are merely illustrative of a single application of my invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference to the appended claims, said claims being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim 1. In a liquid supply system, the combination of a lower tank arranged with a liquid discharge, an upper chamber having a liquid inlet and provided with a suction port and a suction-relief port, valve means for alternately opening said ports, a float for actuating said valve means, said chamber discharging into said tank, a check valve adapted to close said last named discharge when a suction condition obtains in the chamber, and a spring tending to hold said check valve open, said check valve being pivotally mounted and having its pivotal point adjacent its center of gravity.

2. A construction according to claim 1, in which the upper chamber is formed in the upper end of the tank and has a conduit extending around its upper portion, the conduit communicating, respectively. with the tank, the atmosphere, and the suction-relief port.

3. A construction according to claim 1, in which the tank has a transversely-extending partition separating the chamber from. the tank proper, and having one edge bent up wardly to form means of communication with the atmosphere.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination'of a cylindrical axially vertical main inclosure having a transversely-extending partition dividing the inclosure into a lower tank and an upper float chamber, an annular conduit extending around the upper chamber within said inclosure and communicating with the atmosphere, one side of the partition being bent upwardly to afford communication between the lower chamber and said conduit, said upper chamber being provided with a suction port and a suctionrelief port communicating with said conduit, and float-controlled valve mechanism for alternately opening said ports.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a receptacle containing a float, a switch spring connected between a part of the receptacle and the said float whereby said float is held positively by said spring in its upper and its lower position, a rotary valve, and mechanism connecting the valve and the float for actuating said valve, and including a lost motion device.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a float pivoted on a horizontal axis, stops limiting the upper and lower movements of said float, a switch spring tending to hold said float in its upper position when in said upper position and also tending to hold it in its lower position when in said lower position, a rotary valve on an axis parallel with the float axis, and a link connected to said float for rocking said valve.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a float pivoted on a horizontal axis, stops limiting the upper and lower movements of said float, a switch spring tending to hold said float in its upper also. tending to hold it in its lower positionwhen in said lower position, a disk valve on w an axis parallel with the float axis, and a link connected to said float for rocking said valve, said link being provided with a pin and slot connection at one of its .endsvto cause a dwell in the movements of the valve during movement of the float. 1 V

9. In a device for the purpose indicated, a chamber in which artial vacuum is to be produced havinga) connection with a source of suction; (b)connection with a 3 lower level source of liquid supply; ;(0)+

an atmosphere inlet port'gand, (d) an outlet for liquid positioned and controlled for outflow by gravity; a valve seat in said vacuum chamber through which the atmosphere port is formed; a valve mo'untedfor movement on said seat for'opening and: closing said port; a member mounted in said vacuum chamber forchange of level by flow of the liquid into and out of said chamber,

and connections by which a predetermined amount of change of level of said member operates the atmosphere valve, theatmosphere valve-being a disk havingv a flat face forseating, and mountedfor rotation in the plane of that face for opening and closing the atmosphere port. 7 r

' ;1O.1In a device forthe purpose indicated. 7

a chamber in which partial vacuum .is to be produced having (a) connection with a source of' suction; (b).connection with a lower level source ofliquid supply; (0) -an atmosphere inlet port; and, (cl) an outlet forliquid positioned and controlled for outflow by gravity; a valve seat in said vacuum chamber through which the atmosphere port is formed; avalve mountedfor'move ment on said-seat for openinga-and closing said portya member -mounted in said vacu um chamber for changeofleveh by flow of the liquid intoand out of .said' chamber, and connections by which a predetermined amount of change-of level of said member opferatesthe atmosphere valve, the port for thersuction connection being in theplane of the pathrof movement of the port-closing face of the atmosphere-portscontrolling valve,,and situated relatively to said atmosphere port so as to be opened by the movement ofthe valve which closes the atmosphere port and closed by the movement which opens the atmosphere port.

FRANK vmsmena a, a 

